THE SURF SCOTER. 815 
base of bill, culmen dark red shading into orange; under mandible orange and 
white; irides white; feet orange-red, blackish on joints and webs. Adult female: 
Plumage sooty brown, changing on underparts thru grayish brown to silvery gray ; 
no sign of white patches of male, but two dull whitish areas on side of head, one 
buccal and one auricular (sometimes indistinct or even wanting) ; bill blackish, 
scarcely swollen at base; frontal feathering not so extended as in male; feet black- 
ish tinged with orange-red. Jimmature male: Like adult female, but patches on 
side of head more definitely white. Length of adult: 18.00-21.00 (457.2-533.4) ; 
wing 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254) ; bill along gape 2.25-2.50 (57.2-63.5) ; female averag- 
ing the smaller of these dimensions. 
Recognition Marks.—Crow size; white patches on forehead and nape of 
male; whitish patches on sides of head of female and young male distinctive. 
Nesting.—Nest and Eggs much as in preceding species. Av. size, of eggs 
2:47 X 1.70 (62.7 x 43.2). 
General Range.—North America at large chiefly coastwise, but also on larger 
waters of the interior, breeding from northern British Columbia and Labrador to 
Arctic Coast; south in winter to Lower California and Florida; casual in Europe. 
Range in Washington.—Common winter resident and migrant on Puget 
Sound and West Coast; rarely seen on fresh water. 
Authorities.—Pelionctta perspicillata, Kaup, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. 
IDSeIS Sop ooos, Ua C&ss et Rheikihs KkeiBenB). 
Specimens.—Prov. C. BN. E. 
THE prow of any one of two hundred steamers affords an ideal op- 
portunity for the study of winter bird life on Puget Sound waters. Wanton 
shooting from such stations has been discontinued, so that knowing birds 
postpone flight till the last moment at the approach of a steamboat. No 
birds are more frequently encountered than the Scoters, Surf and White- 
winged ; and it is a source of never-ending enjoyment to observe their behavior 
on such occasions. 
At first it is presumed that the boat will pass at a considerable distance. 
In default of this issue the birds decide to outswim it, and bend low to 
their task. But the monster approaches. The Coots stop rowing and wag 
their heads inquiringly from side to side. It certainly is coming. \WVhat- 
ever shall we do? Finally, one bird pulls himself together and begins to 
pound the water with his wings and feet. The rest follow suit with much 
grumbling and wheezing, and soon they are really off, pattering and scooting 
over the water. But Flagstaff’s wind gives out (and he is the handsomest of 
the company). He is too fat to fly, and he gives up after a few strokes, 
falling back panting into the water. There is always one resort left an honest 
sea-fowl. You quench your curiosity in his gaudy head-gear, bending low 
over the railing, and as the steamer is almost upon him, the bird dives, 
swiftly, surely, confidently, quite out of harm’s way, and does not reappear 
short of a hundred yards. 
